Folding easel



July 2, 1963 D. c. KILLEN 3,095,665

FOLDING EASEL Filed Jan. 25, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. DUNCAN C. KILLEN ATTORNEYS July 2, 1963 D. c. KILLEN 3,095,665

FOLDING EASEL Filed Jan. 25, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 DUNCAN C. KILLEN ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofi 3,095,665 Patented July 2, 1963 ice 3,095,665 FOLDING EASEL Duncan C. Killen, 2521 Durant Ave., Berkeley, Calif. Filed Jan. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 84,309 7 Claims. (Cl. 45-129) This invention relates to improvements in a folding easel and more particularly to foldable easels of the type used by artists to support canvas-covered stretcher frames and the like, which provide the working surface upon which the artist draws or paints.

Previous easels generally support the stretcher frame on a narrow ledge or shelf and the partially completed picture is subject to being dislodged and damaged. Devices heretofore provided for clamping the stretcher frame to the easel, have been inadequate for the purpose, or have unduly interfered with the application of the paint or other medium to the canvas. Moreover, the earlier easels are shaky, particularly when used on uneven surfaces, and this can often create technical difliculties for the artist.

The present invention contemplates an artists easel in which the foregoing disadvantages are overcome and which provides an ideal support for all types of objects upon which pictures are drawn. The stretcher frame or other object is held securely in place in a manner permitting the artist to freely extend his brush strokes beyond the edges of the canvas so as not to interfere with his painting technique.

Accordingly it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a folding easel which will securely clamp and solidly support canvas-covered stretcher frames and the like in any position desired 'by the artist.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an easel of the character described in which the clamping means extends laterally over a considerable distance so as to insure that pressure against the working surface of the picture will not swing the picture or dislodge it from the clamping means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an easel of the character described in which the painting surface is completely free and the clamping means does not interfere with the edges thereof so as to permit the artist to paint freely over such edges.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an artists easel which will sit solidly on uneven surfaces such as warped floor-s or on the ground.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an artists easel of the character described in which the picture may be oriented or tilted to any desired position with respect to the horizon.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a port-able easel of the character described which is solid, sturdy and trouble-free in operation, the structure being designed to fold compactly when not in use and being adapted for rapid mass production from inexpensive materials. 7

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as the specification progresses, and the new and useful features of my folding easel will be fully defined in the claims attached hereto.

, .by bolt means 28.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in i While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made Within the scope of the claims attached hereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that my folding easel consists basically of a generally upright standard 11 having a flat front face 12 formed with a vertically extending slot 13, a pair of elongated clamping devices 14 and 16 extending laterally across front face 12, and locking means 17 and 18 on devices 14 and 16, respectively, the means 17 and 18 being engageable with slot 13 and formed for adjustably securing the clamping devices to the standard 11 in clamping engagement against the top and bottom edges 19' and 21, respectively, of a canvas-covered stretcher frame 22.

As here shown, the clamping devices 14 and 16 are similar in construction and, as may best be seen in FIGURE 3, each includes an elongated bar 23 mounted on the standard 11 and extending laterally across the flat front face 12.

'The bars 23 are of triangular cross-section with the base of the triangle providing a flat face 24 in sliding contact with the front face 12 of the standard.

Carried on the bars 23 are elongated clamping members 26 of L-shaped cross-section. The confronting edges 27 of the members 26 are adapted for clamping engagement against the top and bottom sides 19 and 21 of the stretcher frame 22 upon movement of the clamping members 26 toward each other.

The clamping members 26 are urged toward each other Included in each of the means 28 is a bolt member 29 extending perpendicularly from the outer faces 31 of the bars 23 through the clamping members 26. Thumbscrews 32 are threaded on bolt members 29 so that tightening down of the thumbscrews will tend to displace the clamping members 26 toward each other.

Locking means is also provided for adjustably securing the clamping devices 14 and 16 at the proper vertical spacing to accommodate the frame 22 intended to be clamped to the easel. This means includes bolt members 33 secured to and extending perpendicularly from the flat faces 24 of the bars 23 through the slot 13 in the standard 11. Thumbscrews 34 are threaded on the bolt members 33 and may be tightened down to clamp the bins 23 to the standard at the desired positions there- .a ong.

The easel of the present invent-ion may be constructed of any suitable material but, in order to reduce fabrication and material costs, I prefer to utilize wood secured together by metal fasteners and brackets. Thus, and as here shown, thestandard 11 may conveniently comprise a wooden plank and the bars 23 and the clamping members 26 supported thereby may also be formed of wood. With this construction I have found it convenient to combine the 'bolt members 29 and 33 into a single unit passing through the bar 23 in the manner illustrated in FIG- URE 3 of the drawings. a

As an important feature of the present invention, the clamping devices 14 and 16 are adapted to engage the stretcher frame 22 in such manner as to avoid interference with the brush strokes of the artist. For this purpose the confronting edges 27 of the clamping members 26 are of V-shape and are proportioned and positioned to engage the stretcher frame 22 in spaced relation to the front surface 36 of the canvas. This permits the artist to extend his brush strokes past the edges of the canvas and hence does not interfere with his brush technique. Of course, painting past the upper and lower edges 19 and 21 of the stretcher frame may deposit paint on the clamp: ing members 26, but this paint presents no problems and can easily be removed.

In accordance with the present invention the clamping devices 14 and 16 are normally secured perpendicular to the standard 11, but if desired the clamping devices may be tilted so as to allow the artist to orient his picture at any .desired angle to the horizontal. This adjustment made possible by the length of the clamping devices together with the structure of the locking means which cooperates with the broad front surface of the standard 11 to securely hold the clamping devices at any desired angle of inclination.

For convenience a shelf 37 may be secured at any desired height to the standard 11 by a locking device consisting of a bolt 38 sl-idably engaged through the slot 13 and having a thumbscrew 39 threaded thereon. The shelf 37 is preferably provided with fingers 41 adapted to support paint brushes or the like, and may also incorporate turpentine and paint containers 42 having clips 43 engageable with the shelf 37.

The standard 11 is preferably supported in the desired position by brace member 44 attached by means of a hinge 46 to the rear surface of the standard medially of its length. An arm 47 is pivoted at 48 to the standard and is formed with a slot 49 through which is engaged a bolt 51 having a thumbscrew 52 for locking the brace at a desired angle relative to the standard 11.

As a feature of my invention the easel will sit solidly on uneven surfaces and may be adjusted relative thereto to position the slot 13 in a vertical plane. This is accomplished by elongated foot members 53 and 54 for the standard 11 and brace 44, respectively, the foot members normally being perpendicular to the standard and brace but incorporating provisions for effecting independent tilting adjustment so that each foot member will be in firm contact with the surface upon which the easel is resting.

The desired tilting action of the foot members is obtained by pivoting them on bolts 56 projecting from the standard 11 and brace 44, respectively. Thumbscrews 57 are provided on the bolts for securing the members 53 and 54 in the desired positions. Bracket means 58 is also provided for rigidly securing the members 53 and 54 at the desired angles. As here shown, the bracket means 58 are formed of sheet metal bent to an L-shaped crosssection and are secured by pins 59 to the members 53 and 54. The distal ends of the brackets are formed with elongated slots 61 through which bolts 62 project. Thumbscrews 63 may be backed off to permit relative adjustment of the brackets and may then be tightened down to hold the foot members rigidly in place.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a novel folding, portable artists easel adapted for firmly and solidly supporting a canvas-covered stretcher frame or the like in any desired position and without interference with the painting being done on the surface of the canvas.

I claim:

1. An easel for supporting the stretcher frame of an artists canvas or the like, comprising a generally upright standard having a flat front face formed with a vertically extending slot, a pair of elongated clamping devices extending laterally across said front face, said clamping devices being formed with confronting longitudinal V-shaped edges adapted for engaging the stretcher frame with the apexes of the V-shaped edges in spaced relation to the front surface of the canvas whereby the artist may extend his brush strokes past the edges of the canvas, and locking means on said clamping devices engaging said slot and formed for adjustably securing said devices to said standard in clamping engagement against the top and bottom edges of the stretcher frame.

2. An easel for supporting the stretcher frame of an artists canvas or the like, comprising a generally upright standard having a fiat front face and formed with a vertically extending slot, a pair of elongated bars mounted on said standard and extending laterally across said front face, each of said bars being of triangular cross-section with the base of the triangle in sliding contact with said front face of the standard, means for securing said bars to said standard in adjustable spaced relation, elongated clamping members of L-shaped cross-section carried on said bars and having confronting edges adapted for clamping engagement with the edges of the stretcher frame upon movement of said clamping members toward each other, and bolt means extending perpendicularly from the outer faces of said bars through said clamping members in inclined position with respect to the front face of the standard for urging said clamping members toward each other.

3. An easel for supporting the stretcher frame of an artists canvas or the like, comprising a generally upright standard having a flat front face formed with a vertically extending slot, a pair of elongated bars mounted on said standard and extending laterally across said front face, each of said bars being of triangular cross-section with the base of the triangle providing a flat face in sliding contact with said front face of the standard, a first bolt means extending perpendicularly from said flat face of each of said bars through the slot in said standard and formed to clamp said bars to said standard at desired positions therealong, elongated clamping members of L- shaped cross-section carried on said bars and having confronting edges adapted for clamping engagement with the edges of the stretcher frame upon movement of said clamping members toward each other, and a second bolt means extending perpendicularly from the outer faces of said bars through said clamping members in inclined position with respect to the front face of the standard for urging said clamping members toward each other.

4. An easel for supporting the stretcher frame of an artists canvas or the like, comprising a generally upright standard having a fiat front face and formed with a vertically extending slot, a pair of elongated bars mounted on said standard and extending laterally across said front face, each of said bars being of triangular cross-section with the base of the triangle in sliding contact with said front face of the standard, means for securing said bars to said standard in adjustable spaced relation, elongated clamping members of L-shaped cross-section carried on said bars and having confronting edges adapted for clamping engagement with the stretcher frame upon movement of said clamping members toward each other, the confronting edges of said clamping members being formed to provide confronting longitudinal sharp edges adapted for engaging the stretcher frame in spaced relation to the front surface of the canvas whereby the artist may extend his brush strokes past the edges of the canvas, and bolt mean-s extending perpendicularly from the outer faces of said bars through said clamping members and formed for urging said clamping members toward each other.

5. An easel for supporting the stretcher frame of an artists canvas or the like, comprising a generally upright standard having a flat front face formed with a vertically extending slot, a pair of elongated bars mounted on said standard and extending laterally across said front face, each of said bars being of triangular cross-section with the base of the triangle providing a fiat face in sliding contact with said front face, a first bolt means extending perpendicularly from said fiat face of each of said bars through said slot and formed to clamp said bars to said standard at desired positions therealong, elongated clamping members of L-shaped cross-section carried on said bars and having confronting edges adapted for clamping engagement with the stretcher frame upon movement of said clamping members toward each other, a second bolt means extending perpendicularly from the outer faces of said bars through said clamping members and formed for urging said clamping members toward each other, an elongated shelf extending laterally across said front face of said standard, and a third bolt means on said shelf extending through said slot and formed for locking said shelf to said standard at any desired position.

6. An easel for supporting the stretcher frame of an artists canvas or the like, comprising a generally upright standard having a flat firont face formed with a vertically extending central slot, a brace member hingedly attached to the rear side or said standard medially of its length, an arm pivoted to said standard and having a slot formed therein, a bolt secured to said brace member slidably engaged in the slot in said arm, said bolt having a manually engageable nut for fastening the brace member at a desired angle relative to said standard, a pair of elongated bars mounted on said standard and extending laterally across said front face, each of said bars being of triangular cross-section with the base of the triangle providing a flat face in sliding contact with said front face of the standard, a first bolt means extending perpendicularly from said flat face of each of said bars through the slot in said standard and formed to clamp said bars to said standard at desired positions therealong, elongated clamping memhens of L-shaped cross-section carried on said bars and having confronting edges adapted for clamping engagement with the stretcher frame upon movement of said clamping members toward each other, a second bolt means extending perpendicularly from the outer faces of said bars through said clamping members and formed for urging said clamping members toward each other, the contronting edges of said clamping members'bein g of V-shape so as to present a sharpened edge adapted for engaging the stretcher frame in spaced relation to the front surface of the canvas whereby the artist may extend his brush strokes past the edges of the painting surface, elongated i'oot members pivotally mounted on and extending transversely across the lower end of said standard and brace member, and bracket means formed for securing said foot members at desired angles relative to said standard and brace member whereby said easel may be supported solidly on an uneven surface.

7. Any easel for supporting the stretcher frame of an artists canvas or the like, comprising a generally upright standard having a fiat front face formed with a vertically extending slot, a brace member hingedly attached to the rear side of said standard, means for fastening said brace member at a desired angle relative to said standard, a pair of elongated clamping devices extending laterally across said iront face of the standard, locking means on said devices engaging said slot and formed for adjustab-ly securing said devices to said standard and relatively toward each other in clamping engagement against the top and bottom edges of the stretcher frame, a first elongated foot member pivotally mounted on and extending transversely across the lower end of said standard, a first bracket attached to said upright standard and said first foot memher with the distance between the attachment being adjustable for securing said first foot member at a desired angle to said standard, a second elongated foot member pivotally mounted on and extending transversely along the lower end of said brace member, :and a second bracket attached to said brace member and said second foot member for securing said second foot member at an adjustable angle to said brace member whereby said easel may be supported solidly at four points on an uneven surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,191,424 Hollinger July 18, 1916 1,238,594 Stres-ing Aug. 28, 1917 2,032,872 Friedrichs Mar. 3, 1936 2,912,203 Townsend Nov. 10, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 28,578 Great Britain Dec. 28, 1907 

1. AN EASEL FOR SUPPORTING THE STRETCHER FRAME OF AN ARTIST''S CANVAS OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING A GENERALLY UPRIGHT STANDARD HAVING A FLAT FRONT FACE FORMED WITH A VERTICALLY EXTENDING SLOT, A PAIR OF ELONGATED CLAMPING DEVICES EXTENDING LATERALLY ACROSS SAID FRONT FACE, SAID CLAMPING DEVICES BEING FORMED WITH CONFRONTING LONGITUDINAL V-SHAPED EDGES ADAPTED FOR ENGAGING THE STRETCHER FRAME WITH THE APEXES OF THE V-SHAPED EDGES IN SPACED RELATION TO THE FRONT SURFACE OF THE CANVAS WHEREBY THE ARTIST MAY EXTEND HIS BRUSH STOKES PAST THE EDGES OF THE CANVAS, AND LOCKING MEANS ON SAID CLAMPING DEVICES ENGAING SAID SLOT AND FORMED FOR ADJUSTABLY SECURING SAID DEVICES TO SAID STANDARD IN CLAMPING ENGAGEMENT AGAINST THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES OF THE STRETCHER FRAME. 